Sui carefully reviewed the list of fantasy food items. A red-haired pig cost 10 million, which was beyond his budget. However, a dream catfish was priced at 5 million, and the newly unlocked Black Tengu mushroom cost 3 million. With just enough money, he could afford both the catfish and the mushroom.
"How about I go buy the ingredients with the funds?" Sui suggested.
"That sounds like a great idea," everyone responded with renewed excitement. Sui had a knack for finding unique ingredients, so they were hopeful that he would secure something extraordinary.
"But, with only 8 million, can we really buy enough? Unlike our competitors, we can't just ignore the cost," Tōsuke said, sounding a bit uncertain. Although he trusted Sui's abilities, he was concerned that high-quality ingredients might stretch their budget too thin.
"Don't worry, I'm confident it'll work out," Sui reassured him.
While the ingredients from the system were expensive, Sui knew their value stretched further when considering how much they could produce. Even the red-haired pigs, expensive as they were, provided enough resources to make the cost worthwhile.
Erina offered, "Need any help with the process?"
"No, just arrange for a vehicle to transport the ingredients later," Sui replied after some thought.
He then returned to the Totsuki Research Group's activity room, using the funds from Tōsuke to purchase the dream catfish and Black Tengu mushrooms. He quickly prepared the ingredients. Luckily, their new activity room, which they had won from the Italian Cuisine Research Association, was spacious enough to accommodate the process.
As the creatures returned to life, they lunged at Sui, but he swiftly dealt with them. Once the creatures were subdued, the transport vehicle, arranged by Erina, arrived.
Sui directed the staff to load the dream catfish and Black Tengu mushrooms onto the truck and take them to Tōsuke's shop. The moment word spread that Sui had bought ingredients, the team gathered, their curiosity piqued.
"Hey, isn't this the same kind of catfish you caught last time, Sui?" Sōma exclaimed, recalling the rare catfish Sui had shown during the founding of the Rare Food Research Society.
"That's one massive catfish!" It was Tōsuke's first time seeing such a giant fish, and he stood there in stunned silence.
The sight of the Black Tengu mushroom left everyone equally astonished. "I think the largest giant catfish in the world is around two meters, right?" Miyoko asked, intrigued.
"And what kind of mushroom is this? A giant one?" Subaru added, baffled by the mushroom's enormous size.
The team marveled at the rare ingredients before them, captivated by their scale and uniqueness.
"This catfish must've cost a fortune! And the mushroom—did the money I gave you really cover it all?" Tōsuke Megishima asked, his brow furrowing with concern. He felt indebted to Sui for stepping in to help and bringing along so many reinforcements. Now, if Sui had paid out of his own pocket for the ingredients, it would be too much of an imposition.
"It's fine," Sui reassured him. "The money you gave was just enough."
He continued, "Now let's figure out what dishes we can make with these ingredients."
"This catfish is incredibly tender. We can pan-fry it and use it as a ramen topping. A slice of crispy, fried catfish in each bowl would be perfect. I remember the Totsuki Fisheries Department caught an 800-pound tuna last year and used it to serve sashimi to 3,000 people. While this catfish isn't as large, since it's only a ramen topping, we can use smaller portions. It should be enough to serve two to three thousand bowls," calculated Erina quickly.
"Plus, the fish bones can be used to make a delicious catfish broth," she added.
"And the mushrooms can be used to create a second stock," Tōsuke chimed in. "By adding a few mushroom slices to each bowl, we could make enough for two to two-and-a-half thousand servings."
Sui nodded. "Let's keep the price at 1,000 yen per bowl—comparable to the other side's prices."
"Flour and nori are basic ingredients that our ramen chefs can easily supply," a ramen chef noted, "so those won't add to the cost."
After some quick calculations, the group realized that even at the lowest price point, they wouldn't lose much. Unlike their competitors, they couldn't afford to take a loss; Tōsuke's ramen shop and its craftsmen needed to balance income and expenses.
Sui added, "We can also use some bones from the red-haired pig I have left over to make more broth. These can be provided for free to help everyone make the stock."
Although he had a system task to complete, Sui knew he couldn't cover all the food costs for the next three days. He would contribute as much as he could, but that was the limit.
"So, we'll have three types of stock for our ramen," Sōma said, tying his headscarf with newfound energy. "With these top-notch ingredients, I'm confident we can beat the competition!"
"Haha! These ingredients are going to let me show off some serious skills," Subaru added with a laugh.
Tōsuke examined a bone and frowned. "This bone is really tough."
"Let me handle it," Sui said, pulling out the Derous Knife. With a single slice, he split the iron-hard bone in two.
Tōsuke's eyes widened in disbelief at the sharpness of the blade. "That knife…"
Without wasting more time, the group got to work. Before long, both types of ramen were ready.
The first was pan-fried catfish ramen, made with a broth from catfish bones, served with crispy, pan-fried catfish on top—tender on the inside, deliciously crisp on the outside.
The second was Tonkotsu Mushroom ramen, with a pork and mushroom broth, complemented by fresh, tender mushroom slices. It had a refined, natural flavor.
"It's amazing!" Sōma sighed after finishing a bowl.
"With these two bowls of ramen, we're definitely going to give the other side a run for their money!" Megumi said, brimming with excitement.
"Alright, let's open for business!" Erina said with a smile. She was confident that with these special dishes, they wouldn't be overshadowed like they had been that morning.